When disaster strikes, so do scam artists. So how do you know if a charity you are donating to is legitimate? 41 Action News spoke to the Better Business Bureau to find out.
“Right now, we’re separating the band aids and putting them into small packets,” said Judy Hoffman.
Hoffman spent Wednesday afternoon volunteering at Heart to Heart International, putting together hygiene kits in their warehouse.
The kits will be sent down to Texas to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Hoffman chose to lend a hand to Heart to Heart International because it’s an agency she trusts, something she thought about before donating her money or her time.
“This has been a real concern of mine because I love to help people and it infuriates me when you go out to help people that there’s organizations out there that are not honest,” said Hoffman.
The Better Business Bureau says if you want to help during disasters, when in doubt, stick to well-known organizations.
“It’s always a better idea to donate somebody who has some sort of track record,” said Aaron Reese with the Better Business Bureau of Kansas City.
Reese says if you want to donate to a charity less known, do your homework.
"Make sure they are who they say they are and make sure their name isn't just a variation of a real charity and they're just using that reputation to scam you,” said Reese.
